Open, continuous intake

Explore and Create

Also known as: Research and Creation · Concept to Realization

Explore and Create is the Canada Council's program for making artistic work. Since the 2025 restructure its project-grant vehicle is 'Artistic Creation', covering the full cycle from research to public presentation, which you can apply for any time before your project starts, via the Council's portal. Maximum is reported at $75,000 per project (the Council publishes exact amounts only in its portal). It also carries multi-year funding for artist-driven organizations.

Amount

Up to $75,000 Reported $75,000 maximum per project for the Artistic Creation funding opportunity (the current project-grant vehicle under Explore and Create after the 2025 restructure). Canada Council now publishes exact amounts only inside its application portal, which blocks automated reading, treat this figure as reported, not official-page-verified.

Against all tracked amounts, $1,000 to $500,000,000, logarithmic.

granthub.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source

The maximum funding amount is $75,000 per project

Instrument

Grant (non-repayable)

Status

Open, continuous intake no fixed deadline; approvals on the funder's cycle

Who qualifies

Individuals Groups and collectives Nonprofits and charities

individual-professional-artist
artistic-group-or-collective
arts-organization
National program, all Northern Ontario districts eligible
Applicants must meet a Canada Council funding profile (validated in the portal)
Reported: organizations receiving Canada Council core operating funding cannot apply to project grants

canadacouncil.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source

Canadian artists, groups and arts organizations to develop, create and share artistic works at any or all stages of the creative process

Where

Algoma District · Cochrane District · Greater Sudbury (single-tier census division) · Kenora District · Manitoulin District · District Municipality of Muskoka · Nipissing District · Parry Sound District · Rainy River District · Sudbury District (excl. Greater Sudbury) · Thunder Bay District · Timiskaming District

11 of 11 Northern Ontario districts are eligible for this program. A filled dot is eligible, an outline is not.

Built for

Students & individuals Nonprofits & charities

When can you apply?

Artistic Creation deadline: 'Any time before the start date of your project or activity' (verified on the official page)

Cycle	Opens	Closes	Status	Verified
Translation, 2026 Sep deadline NEW SLUG. Component of Arts Across Canada and Abroad. Final 2026 deadline for this component (earlier: Jan 14, Apr 22). Deadline-based, not windowed, portal accepts applications until deadline. Confirmed on canadacouncil.ca/funding/grants/deadlines.	-	Sep 2, 2026	Closed	canadacouncil.ca · Unconfirmed as of Aug 24, 2026; confirm with funder · Auto-checked against official source
International translation, 2026 Sep deadline NEW SLUG. Component of Arts Across Canada and Abroad (translation of Canadian works for international presentation/publication, max $44k). Final 2026 deadline for this component.	-	Sep 2, 2026	Closed	canadacouncil.ca · Unconfirmed as of Aug 24, 2026; confirm with funder · Auto-checked against official source

How do you apply?

Create/validate a profile in the Canada Council application portal
Submit any time before your project or activity start date
Peer assessment
Decision

canadacouncil.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Auto-checked against official source

Any time before the start date of your project or activity

Common questions

What happened to Research and Creation and Concept to Realization?

They were merged. The Canada Council's official page states the new Artistic Creation opportunity 'supports activities previously funded by: Research and Creation and Concept to Realization' as part of the Council's 2025 program restructure.

Is there a deadline?

No fixed deadline for Artistic Creation, the official page says you can apply 'any time before the start date of your project or activity.'

How much can I get?

Secondary sources report a $75,000-per-project maximum for Artistic Creation; the Canada Council publishes exact amounts only inside its application portal, so confirm there before budgeting.

Can Northern Ontario artists apply?

Yes, it's a national program with no regional restriction, and application assistance is available for Indigenous applicants facing language, geographic or cultural barriers.

Where else could this money come from?

Chosen by what these programs have in common with this one, not by hand. The reason is shown for each, so you can judge whether it holds.

Arts Across Canada and Abroad Closing soon
same funder (Canada Council for the Arts); both for students & individuals and nonprofits & charities; arts, canada council, federal — Varies; see program
Creating, Knowing and Sharing Open
same funder (Canada Council for the Arts); both for students & individuals and nonprofits & charities; arts, canada council, federal — Up to $100,000
Northern Arts Projects Open
both for students & individuals and nonprofits & charities; arts, creation — Up to $15,000
Indigenous Forestry Initiative Next intake not announced
both for nonprofits & charities; federal — Up to $45,000

Notes on this record

Program structure verified on the official Canada Council page 2026-08-17. The $75,000 maximum is from a secondary source (granthub.ca) because the Council's portal (arts-services.ca, Salesforce) blocks automated reading, marked uncertain accordingly.

Apply

Apply on the funder’s site and confirm current terms there:

canadacouncil.ca